1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a general middleware bridge supporting an interoperability operation between devices on different middlewares and a method thereof.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, various methods for supporting different middleware devices have appeared. As a result, an interoperability operation between devices on different middlewares becomes available. However, since such a method places emphasis on a purpose to enable an interoperability operation between the devices connected to different middlewares, whenever a new middleware appears, a new adaptor corresponding to the new middleware should be difficultly developed every time. Therefore, the need for a rapid and convenient method in development of the adaptor is growing.
Presently, as a home network middleware, home audio video interoperability (HAVI), Jini, LonWorks, a home network control protocol (HnCP), universal plug and play (UPnP), etc. are widely being used. Existing bridge methods for the home network middleware adopt a method for separately developing each adaptor for a universal home server by different methods.
However, the existing middleware bridge methods create and support required adaptors, respectively and a method for converting a message for the interoperability operation between the devices should be differently developed for each adaptor. Further, a middleware adaptor developer should have understood a general middleware when the new middleware appears and a lot of knowledge and efforts are also required for the message converting method to the middleware adaptor developer. For example, the middleware adaptor developer should know all essential functions of the adaptor in implementing the adaptor such as an adaptor ID system, a definition method of a protocol for a multicast, etc. Further, as another example, the middleware adaptor developer should know a definition method of a standard protocol and should, in detail, perform analysis and substitution processes in order to convert the standard protocol. It is difficult for the middleware adaptor developer to determine the development time and the standard protocol.